Bell Digest v930525p1

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Date: Tue, 25 May 93 17:15:20 +0200
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From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer)
To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest)
Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily)
Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Tue, 25 May 1993, part 1
Precedence: junk
Status: OR

The RuneQuest Daily and RuneQuest Digest deal with the subjects of
Avalon Hill's RPG and Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha.

Send submissions and followup to "RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM",
they will automatically be included in a next issue.  Try to change the
Subject: line from the default Re: RuneQuest Daily...  on replying.

Selected articles may also appear in a regular Digest.  If you 
want to submit articles to the Digest only,  contact the editor at
RuneQuest-Digest-Editor@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM.

Send enquiries and Subscription Requests to the editor:

RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Henk Langeveld)

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From: staats@MIT.EDU (Richard C. Staats)
Subject: CacoDaemon
Message-ID: <9305241530.AA14812@MIT.EDU>
Date: 24 May 93 01:30:32 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 862

Has there been a recent re-release of this cult?

Does anyone know if Vivamort is going to be re-released any time soon?

In service,

Rich

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From: hebert@uclink.berkeley.edu (Brian Hebert)
Subject: Troll Item
Message-ID: <29254.hebert@uclink.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 24 May 93 15:07:33 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 863

Here's a magic item I came up with for a scenario which has humans working
in close cooperation with Trolls:



Darkfriend Medallion
(aka "Hall Pass")
--------------------

Description

A lead medallion featuring the Darkness and Man runes, hung on a heavy
lead chain.

Cults

     Associated
          Kyger Litor, Argan Argar
     Hostile
          Light Cults, Aldrya, Mostal

Knowledge

     Cult Secret, Common, Few

History

     This variation on standard Lead Enchantment was first developed
     during the Second Council as a means of providing safe passage to
     Trollfriends as they travelled through Uzdom.  Since the withdrawl
     of the Trolls from that Council and Gbaji's curse, Trolls have become
     much more conservative about handing them out.

Procedure

     A Lead Medallion is enchanted using the standard Lead Enchantment
     Rune Spell with a minor variation in the ritual.  This variation
     creates a temporary instability in the lead which passes with time.
     This instability lasts seven days. Its duration can be extended by
     expending magic points at the time of enchantment (each mp extending
     the effect an extra seven days).

Powers

     These medallions are given to non-Trolls who are working toward
     _important_ Troll goals.  This is to identify them as Trollfriends
     and provide safe passage through Troll controlled lands.

     While within a Troll's normal Darksense range, this medallion gives
     off a distinctive "ping" which is easily recognizable.  According to
     convention, Trolls agree to allow the bearer of such a medallion to
     pass through their lands unmolested.  In practice, most Trolls will
     go out of their way to investigate and the bearer had better have a
     very solid explanation for how they came to possess the medallion.
     Traditional troll foes should have extremely compelling arguments
     prepared.  These medallions should not be used by anyone trying to
     sneak through troll lands as they stand out like a signal flare.

     These medallions work just as well under clothing or armor and it
     makes sense to keep them there since Elves, Dwarves and Yelmic types
     have been known to react hostilely to anyone discovered with one.

Value

     It depends.  Once the instability wears off it's just an enchanted lead
     medallion.  While the instability is active, unscrupulous folk might
     consider trying to find a buyer who could put it to use.  Get a good
     price because if word gets back you will be _very_ unpopular in Uzdom.
     Keep in mind that there is no way for non-Trolls to tell if the
     instability exists or not and bogus medallions have been sold before.

===

Note:  It occurs to me that since Darksense reveals the type of metals
based on their vibration that it might be common for Trolls to flag hidden
caches or landmarks with small scraps of a distinctive metal (tin perhaps).
This would be a sort of beacon largely undetectable to non-Trolls.

===
Trollpak question

There is a brief section in Trollpak describing the Shadows Dance area
including the Torch and Redwood Forest.   Where can I learn more about
this region?  Elder Secrets?  I'm particularly interested in the Torch.
Thanks in advance.

Brian Hebert

---------------------

From: staats@MIT.EDU (Richard C. Staats)
Subject: Re: RuneQuest Daily, Mon, 24 May 1993, part 1
Message-ID: <9305241549.AA15471@MIT.EDU>
Date: 24 May 93 01:48:59 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 864

Greetings!

        I am a little foggy on the location of the Invisible God during 
godtime.  The Mostali worshipped the Invisible God then too?  I just 
wanted to put in a pre-amble before I tread on any toes.  :-)

        I always thought of the Invisible God as kind of a Great 
Compromise creation, and in my campaigns, I treat sorcery as a type of 
magic that only came into Glorantha as a result of the Great Compromise.  
This flows along nicely with some of the more recent articles on the use 
of Runic magic.  

        I treat the Invisible God as the god of Time.  The Invisible God 
was created when each of the Runic primaries gave a bit of their power 
to create Time.  Sorcerers have access to ALL the runes, because the 
Invisible God was created from small bits of each Rune.  From a game 
balance standpoint, the sorcerer is less powerful in a particular Runic 
application than say a Runepriest of that Runic aspect.  For example, a 
sorcerer would not be able to raise a character from the dead, but the 
sorcerer could create an artificial limb or the like.  (On the other 
hand, the ability to freely draw on several Runic aspects can be a 
useful thing in and of itself.  When a party is suddenly confronted by a 
lightwall, the last thing they would normally expect to follow is a 
shade.)  I see the sorcerer's place as kind of a "balancing force"; 
taken as a whole, mages tend to favor the balance of the Runic 
influences that existed at the Dawning.  Afterall, it was this balance 
of forces that was able to fend Chaos off.

        I will send a more detailed description if folks are interested.

        In service,

        Rich

---------------------

From: paul@phyast.pitt.edu
Subject: Re: Acolytes
Message-ID: <9305241607.AA04350@bondi.phyast.pitt.edu>
Date: 24 May 93 16:07:05 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 865


  Paul R. here.

  I was going over Nick's suggestions for Acolytes in the May 17 RQ Daily
and discovered (buried among many ideas that I agree with) the following
statement:

> You can't take a break while retaining 
> the magical (and social) benefits, though you'll get them back when you 
> pick up your tasks again.  And *nobody* who wants to keep their family and 
> friends can give up 100% of their time to God...

  While this may be true for warrior cults such as Humakt, I see Acolytes of
Ernalda, Pelora, Lodril, etc. as loacally-respected villagers who take
a trip down to the big (i.e. minor) temple in the far - away town (perhaps
even 20 Kilometers) once a season and then bring back magical benefits
and spiritual guidance for their village.   Otherwise they may be very
similar to the other peasants.  Or is Nick counting time spent Farming as
time given to this sort of God?

  Around here we've required full priests to have at least Worship, Sanctify,
and Divination, but acolytes need not have these spells.  I think Initiation
also makes a good Rune Magic.  We have allowed people to self-Initiate if
there is no organized cult in their area.  This requires fervent prayer
belief, and "cultic" behavior.  Candidates for self-Initiation need to
make a POW x 1 roll to succeed and it costs them two points of Power rather
than 1.  We made up these rules for a community which had been isolated
by the Syndic's Ban.

  Instead of the Test of Holiness, perhaps the GM can keep track of "cult 
virtues" for the character.  This would be easier in a Pendragon-style 
system.

  Is there now a debating board for RQ IV?

 - Paul
_____________________________________

---------------------

From: DO9EA00@sysa.computing-services.manchester-metropolitan-university.ac.uk
Subject: multi-missile & fumble ?
Message-ID: <9305241634.AA26945@Sun.COM>
Date: 24 May 93 13:27:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 866

Question ?

We all know that a multi-missile can only score a critical with the first
(real) missile but what about fumbles ? [D

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Ingram

      - "Its an ill wind that spoils the broth" 


---------------------

From: wroberts@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (William C Robertson)
Subject: Varieties of Healing magic.
Message-ID: 
Date: 24 May 93 12:05:54 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 868

Paul Reilly wrote...
>  I started top write a rather long post on Deezola, but decided instead
>to give a very short answer.  If there is a demand I will post more but
>otherwise I will wait until I have a cult writeup in hand.

   That's fine, you read me correctly.  Your concept seems interested. 
Although I always imagined an emphatic (?) Healing approach far far away
from civilization.  It just seems too dangerous an alternative.  But I
like it! I like it!

-Bill



---------------------

From: burt@ptltd.com (Burton Choinski)
Subject: Comments on stuff
Message-ID: <9305242036.AA12219@vino>
Date: 24 May 93 20:36:38 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 869

John J Medway notes:
(on my diced SR suggestion)
<<>>      DEX+SIZ    Strike Die        SRA 
<<>>        1-13         d12          >6.0 
<<>>       14-24         d10          >4.5 
<<>>       25-34          d8          >3.0 
<<>>       35-39          d6          >1.5 
<<>>        40+           d4               
<
Date: 25 May 93 02:58:31 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 870

Alistair-
     It's important to make the distiction between Chaos Scum and Deluded
Chaos Scum Appeasers. The Lunars are the latter while Walktapi are the
former.
     In games I've played (and GM'd) the Lunars are usually very nice, well
behaved bores who simply believe they have found the better way to conduct
their lives. This attitude may be pronounced like 'born again' Seven Mother's
Missionaries, or subtly displayed as prejudice against the ways of the
'common folk'. Either way, most Lunars wouldn't trigger an Orlanthi's hatred
for all this of Chaos.
     Making Orlanthi hate Lunars is not always easy. Sure they're
SUPPOSE to hate them, but that's more for what the EMPIRE did to the
Orlanthi, not what the individual Lunar citizen does.
     I hope this helps.

---------------------

From: MAB@SAVAX750.RUTHERFORD.AC.UK (Mystic Musk Ox)
Subject: RE: RuneQuest Daily, Mon, 24 May 1993, part 1
Message-ID: <9305250822.AA29903@Sun.COM>
Date: 25 May 93 08:22:00 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 871

Does anyone know of/have a write up of the cult of Gark the Calm? Its
always really appealed to me...

mark.

---------------------

From: P.A.Snow@gdr.bath.ac.uk (P A Snow)
Subject: POW gains
Message-ID: <9305251257.AA23458@Sun.COM>
Date: 25 May 93 12:57:11 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 872

In response to Paul Reilly (X-RQ-ID:858), I think that it is an excellent idea
to search for a mechanism that "resonates with myths and folktales" to use for
POW gains. It is too easy to get so involved with habits and traditions in the
game that any connection to ideas that might be recognised by a games layperson
can become lost.
	So what sort of thing is a POW gain? I suggest that it represents one of
the following.

a) The character becomes more blessed or loved by his god and so has a stronger
ability to influnce the world.

b) The character becomes more in touch with the essential reality of being 
alive. More in touch with the Cosmos. This tuning into nature allows a greater
ability to contact/use spirit magic

c) The character, independent of outside influences such as suggested by a) and
b), has become more confident in his/her abilities and thus can more easily
perform certain actions.

Do any of these sound right? I think that the ideal response here should follow
a pattern something along the lines of :-

	The Hero has become more < insert quality/ trait/ adjective>. This means
that < spiritual/psychological explanation> is true. (This last <> should be
either glorantha lore of folklore based.) This is represented in game mechanics
by .  This will be represented by a game mechanism <....XXX...>.

The vital thing is to get the feel and meaning of POW gain set and then look
for the mechanism. I hope this helps.

Paul "What is POW anyway." Snow

---------------------

From: DO9EA00@sysa.computing-services.manchester-metropolitan-university.ac.uk
Subject: The Cult of Vianeth
Message-ID: <9305251306.AA24330@Sun.COM>
Date: 25 May 93 11:39:27 GMT
X-RQ-ID: 873

Here is a small cult, to revolte you all. Comments welcomed ?

VIANETH  (FERTILITY, PLANT & DEATH)

1. Mythos and History

Little is known about the origins of Vianeth, though some believe that
he is the bastard son of either Aldrya or Ernalda; of his early life,
training and motivations only a few scraps of knowledge exist and the
authenticity of this information is doubted even by some of his most
ardent followers. Only one fact is known for sure :-

Vianeth was present when the Grandfather Mortal (Fleshman) was saline by
the power of death and while the other witnesses fled in horror from
the site Vianeth felt himself drawn towards the pool of blood oozing from
the corpse.  Kneeling down he touched the gore with his fingers and drew
upon his face and body with the blood. Shocked and awed by what he had seen
he waited in silence and then saw that where the blood soaked into the ground
new life in the forms of plants sprung forth.

Vianeth was seized by the idea of new life coming forth from death and sought
out the power that was death. By guile and stealth he tracked Humakt and hid
amongst the under growth and bushes and watched Humakt practicing with the sword.
Later as the exauhsted Humakt slept he creeps forward and touched the blade
of the sword. Sizing it up we went away and copied it using his skills to
work wood.

Finding the wooden sword would not cut, like the sword of death, he
enchanted the blade to make it sharp and strong and then taking the ritual
knife he slew several animals, letting their blood soak into the soil bringing
forth fertile crops.  He was dissapointed with the effects and found that the
best effect was obtained when sentient creatures were slain.

2. Cult Sociology and Ecology.

Vianeth has no place in civilised society, his preists work in secret
groves and gardens in woodlands. These temples are maintained by the
ritual sacrifice of animals and by the blood letting of the faithful, who
on holy days of the cult ritually incise their chests and arms letting
the blood flow into the soil.

In times of famine and desperation amongst farmers and common people, These
secret temples of Vianeth are sought out the preists are summoned to help. Then
on the high holy day of the cult, the priest bring forth their ritual knives
and human sacrifices are made, normally one "willing" volunteer but sometimes
mass carnage is the unhappy result.

3. Lay Membership

To all intents and purposes Vianeth has no Lay membership, excepting that
any person presenent at a Blood Letting who participates in the worship of
Vianeth is a lay member.

4. Initiates (The Blooded)

Initiates must, upon the high holy day of Vianeth, take up a sanctified
wooden knife and cut them selves about the chest and arms. They must
tithe 10% of their wealth to the cult, normally in the form of sacrificial
animals. They may plant and tend shrines to Vianeth and learn how to work
wood to make knives. They are sworn to absolute secrecy concerning the location
to the temples and shrines and form the public face of the cult. Although
their membership of the cult is normally secret, it is through initiates that
common people contact the cult in times of need.

Initiates are taught to craft sacrificial knives, make sacrifices (a version
of the peacfull cut), and the fertility rituals of the cult.

shrines teach woodsharp.

5. Rune Lords -- Vianeth has no rune lords.

6. Rune Preists.

Initiates of good standing who have remained within the cult for at least
five years may attain the priest hood. In order to do so they must be
able to make a set of sacrificial knives (at 90%) and know the skills
of sacrificial cut and the scrifical ritual (at 90%). On the high
holy day of the cult they must find a human sacrificial victim and under
the tutelage of an existing priest conduct the rite of fertility.

Following this they must withdraw from society and attend unto the business
of the cult 90% of the time. In return they obtain the succor provided by
any initiates and may eat the flesh of sacrificial animals only.

7. Spells

Rite of Fertility (Fleshman)

3pt Ritual, 1 Seasons Duration, Stackable, Range 50 Hectares. (1 Use)

This is the spell which calls upon Vianeth to interceed and to use the
blood of a human sacrificial victim to enrich poor and impoverished soil.
The ritual last for one full day culminating in the sacrifice of the victim
and blood letting into the soil. In return the soil becomes more fertile
for one season.

Rite of Fertility (Beast)

1pt Ritual, 1 Week Duration, Stackable, range 1^2 m per point of size.

As above, but requires a sacrificial animal.

Enchant ritual knife.

1pt Ritual, Permanent, Non-Stakable, range touch.

This spell takes a crafted wooden sacrificial knife and allows it to take
an edge.

Woodsharp -var.

This spirit spell works like bladesharp, but upon the wooden knives and
swords used by the cult.

8. Skills

Craft Sacrificial Knives -- Craft skill allowing wood to be carved to
make wooden knives and sword.

Sacrificial Cut -- cuts the throat of a victim in such a way that the
sacrificed animal/person dies peacefully and in a manner causing as much
blood as possible to be let.

NB: Conceal, stealth and back-woods skills are considered important by
the cult.


(c) David Ingram 1993.